The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Colocasia commonly known as the taro plant or elephant ears. Colocasia is grown as a food crop or for use as an ornamental for container or the landscape. The new cultivar is known botanically as Colocasia esculenta and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘HILO BAY’. ‘HILO BAY’ is one of is one of five co-pending applications by the inventor relating to new cultivars of Colocasia. The other four co-pending applications are titled ‘Hawaiian Eye’ Plant application Ser. No. 12/006,580, ‘Blue Hawaii’ Plant application Ser. No. 12/006,576, ‘Diamond Head’ Plant application Ser. No. 12/006,579, and ‘Pineapple Princess’ Plant application Ser. No. 12/006,581.
Colocasia is a tuberous rooted perennial which is native to tropical Asia and Polynesia. It grows to 1.5-2 m in height from starchy tubers. The leaves of Colocasia are heart-shaped and very large in size. The tuberous roots are cooked and eaten as a starchy staple in many tropical areas. It is also grown as ornamental plants for the landscape in warmer climates or as a container plant in colder areas.
The new Colocasia variety named ‘HILO BAY’ is the product of a formal breeding program at Hawaii, Kula. The purpose of the breeding program was to develop new commercial varieties by combining attributes not found in currently commercially available varieties.
‘HILO BAY’ is a seedling selection from the controlled pollination between the female parent ‘2000-110’ (unpatented) and male parent ‘2000-177’ (unpatented). The female parent ‘2000-110’ was selected from the progeny of a genetic cross between breeding hybrid line ‘(T×NW21)’ (unpatented) and breeding hybrid line ‘T12’ (unpatented). The male parent ‘2000-177’ was selected from a genetic cross between Colocasia ‘Putih’ (unpatented) and Colocasia ‘PH21’ (unpatented). Initially designated as ‘2005-5’, ‘HILO BAY’ was derived from a single plant selected in 2005.
The new variety ‘HILO BAY’ has very large glossy olive green slightly ovate leaves that are ruffled or corrugated in texture with undulating leaf margins and with a light purple vertical vein. ‘HILO BAY’ produces uniform dark purple petioles. The leaves are similar in size compared to its male parent and 2 to 3 times larger than its female parent The male parent, ‘2000-177’, exhibits a smaller glossy green leaves with irregular purple blotches with a smooth margin. The petioles are a light green to a light purple color with dark purple streaks. The female parent, ‘2000-110’ exhibits smaller green leaves with a purple spot on the upper leaf surface at the point of leaf and petiole attachment and a smooth margin. The petioles are of a light green color. In these aspects, this new variety differs from its parents.
The closest comparison variety known to the inventor is ‘Fontanesii’ (unpatented), its closest commercial variety. HILO BAY produces glossy olive green leaves that are ruffled or corrugated in texture and has undulating leaf margin compared to ‘Fontanesii’ which exhibits a glossy green smooth leaf with a smooth margin. ‘HILO BAY’ produces uniform dark purple petioles similar in color compared with ‘Fontanesii’. ‘HILO BAY’ produces secondary lateral shoots that are attached to the mother plant on short stolons as compared with ‘Fontanesii’ that produces secondary lateral shoots on long stolons.
Asexual propagation of hulis of ‘HILO BAY’ began in 2005 in Hawaii by the inventor using huli propagation whereby the apical shoots are separated from the plant by cutting the shoot at the top of the corm immediately above the newest leaf scar and planted. Evaluation in field and pot studies have shown the unique features of ‘HILO BAY’ to be stable, uniform, and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.